hairs lifted. Definitely Fang's bark.

"Well, no, actually I saved myself," Angel muttered hurriedly. "But it's the thought that counts."

Scamp cocked his wide, furry head, ears flopping. "Are we just gonna sit here or are we gonna go after them?"

"And shouldn't we get Tramp's and Lady's help first?" Angel asked.

Skip's head shot up. "Nah, we'll do it ourselves."

"Don't listen to me, I'm nobody important," Angel muttered to herself with a growl.

Afghanna stuck her nose in Angel's face, grinning wickedly. "And don't you forget it, house mutt."

* * * * * * * *

Fang jumped to the left again, the dogcatcher glaring at him and flinging his net down a few feet from fang, completely missing him. Fang grinned and let out another fake, pitiful cry of terror.

Barking exploded from the other side of the fence.

Afghanna and Angel were suddenly at his side, barking ferociously at the dogcatcher. Scamp and Skip were behind the man, nipping at his heels.

Fang elbowed Afghanna and gave her his half-closed eyes and crooked grin. "C'mon. Just like we planned. And hurry!"

Afghanna jumped into action, pretending to spring for the dogcatcher and 'accidentally' barreling into Angel, who had leaped closer to the dogcatcher to appear louder in barking.

While Angel rolled with Afghanna in a tangle of paws and tails, Fang slid around the man and scooted to Scamp's side, who was staring wide-eyed at Angel, seemingly surprised.

"Heya, house pet, how ya doin'?" Fang grinned, his eyes on the dogcatcher.

Scamp looked at Fang with barely disguised confusion. "You're okay?"

Fang winked. "Never better. That chump's old news for me. Ain't gonna catch ol' Fang no matter how hard he tries. But listen, champ," he showed his teeth in a wolfish smile. "Tell you what. I gotta feelin' things're gonna get ugly here in a minute. But no worries. As long as nobody gets caught..."

The net was poised over Afghanna and Angel. Fang's ears jumped in mock surprise.

"Save 'em, house pet, it isn't my job!" Fang pretended to cower behind Scamp, trembling.

Scamp looked over both shoulders, trying to look Fang full in the face. "What, me?"

"No, the other Scamp," Skip muttered on Scamp's left.

"Pipe down," Fang snapped to Skip. He directed his attention to Scamp again. "C'mon, they're headin' for a one-way ticket to life in a cell--no detours!"

Scamp stared as Angel cringed next to Afghanna, staring open-mouthed up at the net ready to crash down on them--she was frozen in shock.

"But w-w-what do I do?" Scamp stammered.

"Here's the plan, champ," Fang growled near Scamp's ear. "You go over and grab dollface's yellow collar. Then drag her away in the nick of time--I'll get Affy. But no matter what, if that net comes down, you jump away and hightail it back to your cozy little yard."

"With Angel," Scamp added firmly.

Fang lowered his eyelids, a toothy grin curling at the corner of his muzzle. "Yeah. With Angel."

Skip pushed them both from behind with his head. "Now!"

Scamp sprang forward, clearly under the net, and grabbed at Angel's yellow collar. Fang slid in next to Afghanna.

"Do it--now!" Fang hissed in her ear.

Afghanna shot him a venomous look and used both paws to shove Angel's head down when Scamp wasn't looking, too preoccupied with tugging at the collar.

As Scamp pulled hard at Angel's yellow collar and Afghanna held the pomeranian's head down, the collar slid up and off of Angel's neck, over her head, dangling from Scamp's mouth.

The net flung down towards them. Time seemed to stop.

Fang shoved at Scamp with his muzzle. "Now, house pet! Get out!"

Scamp, eyes wide with panic and his head dazed, did as he was ordered and ran from the scene, stopping at the fence. Afghanna grabbed Angel's collar in her mouth and tossed it to Skip, who caught it expertly and dashed around the corner of the dust-grounded alleyway, disappearing.

The net came down onto Angel, who was now collarless. The dogcatcher picked her up, toting the net over his shoulder by its long pole, and dragged Angel into the back-of-the-truck cage.

Fang and Afghanna ran around the corner of the fence, hiding.

When the dogcatcher's vehicle began to pull away with Angel howling in the back of the truck, Scamp's jaw dropped and he ran out to the middle of the dusty, alley road, staring wide-eyed at Angel's rapidly dissapearing form on the horizon.

"Angel!" Scamp cried.

Fang and Afghanna padded out to where the mutt-pup stood, coughing on the dust that came from the tires of the truck.

"Way to go, house pet," Fang snarled sarcastically. "You're a disaster all your own, huh?"

Scamp glared at him. "You tricked me!"

Fang shook his head. "No, no, champ, you did that by yourself. I tried to make you a hero, but as usual, you house dogs screw things up pretty good, don't ya? Shoulda done it myself. Now look what you've done. Dollface is headed for the slammer, and it's all your fault."

Scamp lifted one paw and crouched, leaning away from them, mouth open slightly, a sad look on his face, eyebrows slanting downward, ears and tail drooping. He stared at Fang, slowly realizing--or thinking he was realizing--that the Golden Retriever pup was right.

Fang's mind buzzed with triumph. Another plan, perfectly executed.

"Get outta here, house mutt," Fang leaned in, baring his teeth at Scamp. "Get back to your snuggly little family--let us take care of Angel. You just better sleep well tonight, after what you did."

Scamp took one last look down the road where the dogcatcher's truck had disappeared, and slunk away towards the yard, shamefaced. What have I done?

Chapter 5

Fang had set off alone, claws clicking on the sidewalk as he sniffed his way to the pound. It took him a while to find it again, this being the third time he had really been there all his life.

The dogcatcher, meanwhile, was inside the pound, inspecting Angel as he carried her to her cell. "Could've sworn you had a collar on you," he murmured to himself. "Ah, well. In you go, girl." He dumped her into a cage.

Angel got to her feet and shook herself, ears flopping. "Brrrghh!" She peered through her cage's wire-rimmed door. What happened back there? Risk myself for a Street Dog and look what happens. I hope Scamp's okay.

She stood on her hind legs and shoved her nose up against the latch that locked the door. It didn't budge, for once. Angel sat back down, head hanging. So much for her escape. And without her collar...

"'Scuse me, miss, have we met?"

Angel looked up. "Fang?" she barked.

Fang put a paw beside his mouth, narrowing his eyes. "Ssshhh, not so loud, doll. I'm springin' ya."

Angel's gaze and head followed his movements as he padded to the left and right, pacing in front of her. He put his front paws against the cage-door and stretched up omn his hind legs, nose inching toward the latch.

"It won't work," Angel told him dully. "They've rigged it."

"Don't you worry your pretty head, Ang'," Fang smirked. "You gotta have the right moves."

Angel lowered her eyelids and turned up one side of her mouth in a crooked smile. "That'll happen."

"Obliged for your confidence, m'lady," Fang bowed comically. "Now stand still and pipe down."

He backed up until his rear end slammed against the dog's cage behind him.

A scraggly brown dog's head raised mournfully. It must have been napping. The noise had to have woken the prisoner up.

"Sorry, pal," Fang smiled sheepishly. "Count sheep--it helps."

The dog lowered his head again, out of sight.

Fang winked at Angel, crouching again. "I prefer to count steaks, but I'd wake up hungry every mornin'. Hold still."

Angel chuckled.

Fang grabbed the lid of a nearby mini tin trash can and flung it a few feet away, making it roll on its side. He sprang on top of it and moved the rolling lid forward with his front paws. He was a little unsteady, a little wobbly, but balanced soon enough. He rolled it until he had it leaning upright, standing still against the wide, human-sized door of Angel's cell/cage, high enough to gnaw at the latch with his famously sharp fangs. He got a good hold on the top, the wide, wooden nail-like object that kept it locked. He yanked up, and the substitute lock was flung across the isle.

Fang looked down at Angel from his paws-in-an-awkward-line pose on the still-on-its-side trash can lid. "Okay, doll, you can try it now. But wait'll I get--"

Angel flung the latch up with her nose and shoved the door open with her front paws, making the trash can lid--and Fang--topple to the floor, causing a loud crash.

"--down." Fang finished with a groan. He stood up and rolled his neck around. Angel winced as it cracked and popped.

"You should see a vet about that," Angel commented slyly as she trotted past him, head in the air.

"I planned on it." Fang stood up, gave himself a shake, and proceeded to trip over